Pictures, pictures and pictures!

[Andy M]

I did a ski tour last week on the Mt. Evans Scenic Byway. It's the highest paved road in North America, topping out at 14,130'. Starting out at 10,650' at the winter closure, I made it up to 12,400' after about 5.5 miles before turning around.

I picked this tour partly because I expected fewer people to be encountered -- and this turned out to be the case. I saw four people during the tour: two sitting in a car at the trailhead, and two snowshoers during the tour. Heck, I would have run into at least 20 people doing a hike from home. I did see about 50 bighorn sheep, but I kept at least 100 feet from them

I started off on a trail and followed it for about a mile before bushwhacking a bit to get to the highway, which I followed for another four miles or so. I only had to take off my skis once for a fifty-yard stretch, which was surprising, given the road's exposure to high winds and sun.

The temp at the trailhead was warm, and the snow was slushy. Up higher, the snow was cold and very firm. I used Fischer Outtabounds (the precursor to the Excursion) with 3-pins and Svartisen boots. I carried some kicker skins but never used them.

The trail at the beginning -- the Mt. Evans Wilderness surrounds the area, with the exception, of course, of the highway corridor.

The Mt. Evans Scenic Byway

Bighorn Sheep

A windswept pass where I had to briefly remove my skis

The end of my tour at 12,400' -- Mt. Evans (14,271') is visible in the left-middle background.

The route back

More sheep

Lower section of the road below treeline

End of the road

[jyw5]

I just got back from the Eklutna Traverse - 4 huts, 5 glaciers; 38 miles, 9000+ vertical. Skiied the Fischer S125 with Silvretta 500 bindings and La Sportiva G2 mountaineering boots. Good downhill setup only when conditions are perfect. Great for uphill travel. Very difficult to ski with a heavy pack (50+ lbs) -- takes alot of practice. It's a shame both skis and bindings are discontinued.

more photos, visit my Instagram:

[greatgt]

Think I did a bit of skiing up there many years back with Telepole....While on the top a young Jamaican was having a good time with his friends and got hit with a soft snowball from Telepole...He looks around and sees a giant grin on Telepole's face...TP says.....This is what you do in snow and a giant snowball fight ensued...On the top of some 14000 footer laughing it up and departing our new friends with a sense of how wonderful people are....TM

[Tom M]

Snow is melting fast below 6000 feet, but great spring skiing above 7000 in Eastern Idaho (4/7/2020)

[Woodserson]

Those Eklutna Traverse pics were awesome. Thanks for posting!

[jyw5]

Those Eklutna Traverse pics were awesome. Thanks for posting!

Thanks for looking! It was a pretty intense trip. All snow types and all weather were encountered. The S125s were fairly stable given that my pack was 52lbs and the snow was not ideal 90% of the time. Most of the time, I skiied with skins on. I did manage to ski without skins for about 2000ft vertical. There was a great deal of falling. I think short skis (these are 165cm) help for a few reasons: lighter setup, easier to strap the skis to the pack and when climbing steep pitch with shorter skis on your pack, and easier to turn.

I think Fischer realized there was no market for the 125s as they are an otherwise pretty clumsy, slow, and short ski... they are wide, fat, and fishscaled. But I tell you, my skins failed twice and the scales allowed me to descend safely on crusty snow (one narrow section had crevasses and rocks on both sides and one skin debonded and I had no choice but to continue for about 500ft+ vertical). The wide skis also held up well sidehilling crusty avalanche chutes.

I hope when my S125s finally wear out there is another equivalent ski to replace it. The skis get pretty beat up on these climbing trips. Asnes needs to make WL versions of their Fjoro and Tindan.

[jyw5]

I did a ski tour last week on the Mt. Evans Scenic Byway. It's the highest paved road in North America, topping out at 14,130'. Starting out at 10,650' at the winter closure, I made it up to 12,400' after about 5.5 miles before turning around.

I picked this tour partly because I expected fewer people to be encountered -- and this turned out to be the case. I saw four people during the tour: two sitting in a car at the trailhead, and two snowshoers during the tour. Heck, I would have run into at least 20 people doing a hike from home. I did see about 50 bighorn sheep, but I kept at least 100 feet from them

I started off on a trail and followed it for about a mile before bushwhacking a bit to get to the highway, which I followed for another four miles or so. I only had to take off my skis once for a fifty-yard stretch, which was surprising, given the road's exposure to high winds and sun.

The temp at the trailhead was warm, and the snow was slushy. Up higher, the snow was cold and very firm. I used Fischer Outtabounds (the precursor to the Excursion) with 3-pins and Svartisen boots. I carried some kicker skins but never used them.

That looks like a great tour. Would be cool to get to 14k. how far is it to the top from where you turned around?

One thing that we don't have easy access to here in AK is steadily moderate/safe long trails. It is either painfully flat or crazy steep.

[lowangle al]

I'm glad you had a good trip Joe. What kind of amenities do the huts have? Are they just like forest service rental cabins?

When your s125s wear out it might be time for an Ultra Vector.

[jyw5]

I'm glad you had a good trip Joe. What kind of amenities do the huts have? Are they just like forest service rental cabins?

When your s125s wear out it might be time for an Ultra Vector.

Except for Serenity Falls Hut (which sleeps 13 and has a wood stove), the other 3 are MCA huts with only $30/yr membership dues (the club has 8 huts). First come first served. Because they are so remote, they don't get that much use. They are maintained from time to time. Stove, pots, lanterns. No outhouses. A-frame with loft. They are minimal but not bad...beats using a tent and carrying a warmer rated sleeping bag. I used a 35F Western Mountaineering bag and was fine. All of them also had sleep pads, but we brought our own which we placed on top of them as it makes it warmer and better. We didn't encounter anyone on the entire trip. We reserved Serenity Falls Hut for $120 total...had the whole place to ourselves! The other 4 MCA huts in Hatcher Pass get much more use...especially the summer. The most remote is Scandinavian Peaks Hut located 18 miles up the Matanuska Glacier. That one might get 1 visit per year. We are thinking about going in a few wks.

[jyw5]

Winter still going strong in Alaska. Skiing today was great. we got about 10 inches of snow over the past week. Can't complain. Finally, some good spring weather. This season will go until mid to late May. then, return for Summer corn up high in June/July.

S112 with 35mm mohair skins, NNN BC, 2 coats hot waxed polar white tip/tail. hot waxed blue wax on the scales. wet snow, so using cheap Fischer OTX 5 boots. didn't want to wear out my Alfa leathers. used the skins for the morning (30F-36F) up and down and only take them off on the way down at the end of the day when temps reach 40F at 3pm. max steepness is about 25 degrees.